This evaluation of the 1988-89 Instrumental Enrichment (IE) program in selected special education classrooms in Detroit (Michigan) found that the program was partially successful in achieving its goals. IE uses a series of paper-and-pencil exercises and follow-up discussions to increase participants' academic achievement, improve behavior, and return them to less restricted environments. A study sample of Emotionally Mentally Impaired (EMI) and Learning Disabled (LD) middle school students from IE classrooms was matched with a control group of special education students who had not been exposed to IE, and the groups were compared in terms of academic achievement, attendance, mainstreaming, and abstract thinking abilities. Teachers and parents were also surveyed about their perceptions of IE and its effects on participants. The following findings are presented: (1) participants did not improve their reading or mathematics achievement; (2) the effect of IE on abstract thinking abilities could not be determined; (3) the attendance of the LD participants improved significantly, but the attendance of the EMI participants did not; (4) the effect of IE on mainstreaming could not be determined; (5) teachers expressed positive attitudes toward IE and its effect on participants' behavior; and (6) parents reported positive changes in participants' behavior. Statistical data are presented in 15 tables. (FMW)